The Frost Demon of Universe 7

As the battle raged on, Zero's focus sharpened. His cyan aura flared with each calculated strike, illuminating the frozen battlefield in pulses of radiant energy. He moved with precision, weaving through the relentless attacks of the creatures while countering with devastating blows of his own. Finally, one of the larger beasts—a hulking monstrosity with thick, jagged armor and claw-like appendages—let out an ear-splitting screech as Zero's ki-infused attack tore through its core. The creature convulsed before collapsing into a heap, its lifeless body floating away in the waters.

Zero barely had time to catch his breath before a voice rang out in his mind:

[Nitrogen-Spawned Great Stone Crab DNA detected. Does the host wish to merge with DNA?]

Zero's movements didn't falter as he leapt back to avoid another attack, his mind racing to process what he'd just heard. "Huh? This works too?" he thought, ducking low to sweep an energy blast at another creature lunging toward him. "What happens when I merge with the DNA? Will I... look like a crab or something?"

The voice answered, calm and clinical, as if it had anticipated his concern.

[You will not turn into a crab. Only the positive traits of the species will be integrated. From what I can deduce, Great Stone Crabs have poor eyesight in normal conditions but possess exceptional vision in dark, murky environments like this one. Additionally, they have a unique regenerative ability—lost limbs can regrow, a trait you currently lack.]

Zero smirked faintly, sidestepping a massive claw that slammed into the ground where he'd been standing. "I see," he thought, blasting the offending limb away with a burst of ki. He rolled forward, rising to his feet in one fluid motion as his tail lashed behind him to strike a smaller creature creeping up from his blind spot. "That could be useful... Merge with the DNA."

[Commencing DNA integration...]

The moment the process began, Zero felt an odd warmth coursing through his body, different from the raw energy of his ki. It was subtle at first, like a ripple beneath his skin, but it quickly intensified. His senses sharpened, the dim light of the icy battlefield giving way to a strange clarity. The darkness that had once been an impediment now felt like a second home—every shadow, every movement, every subtle shift in the air became unmistakably clear.

"This... is incredible," Zero marveled internally, launching himself into the fray with renewed vigor. He felt faster, his strikes more precise. Even as he took a glancing hit from one of the creatures' jagged limbs, he barely flinched. There was a confidence building within him, not just in his strength but in the idea that he could adapt and evolve endlessly.

The regenerative ability was another revelation. As the battle continued, Zero noticed small abrasions on his skin fading almost instantly, his body working to repair itself with astounding efficiency. It wasn't perfect—major injuries would still take time—but the potential was there.

"This changes everything," he thought, a determined grin spreading across his face as he prepared to face the remaining creatures. "If I can keep doing this, there's no telling how strong I can become."

With his newly enhanced vision, the battlefield transformed. What had once been a chaotic mess of dark shapes and blurred movements became crystal clear. Zero could now see every flick of a limb, every ripple in the icy water, and every predator lurking in the shadows. He counted them with precision—thirty creatures remained, each more feral and determined than the last.

"Hmph, filthy creatures," Zero muttered, his voice cold and laced with disdain. His tail swayed behind him as his aura began to surge, crackling with raw energy. The cyan glow surrounding him intensified, throwing the battlefield into stark relief as his power escalated.

Raising one hand, he began charging a massive ki blast, the energy swirling and condensing into a brilliant sphere that pulsed like a second sun. The creatures hesitated for a brief moment, sensing the sheer destructive force of the attack. But instinct drove them forward, their savage screeches rising as they charged en masse toward him.

"Be gone," Zero growled, his voice echoing like a death knell. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the ki blast.

The energy sphere streaked through the water like a missile, leaving a glowing cyan trail in its wake. It struck the center of the advancing horde with pinpoint accuracy, detonating on impact. The explosion was immense, a blinding flash of light and a deafening roar that reverberated across the ocean.

The force of the blast was so great that it displaced the frozen water beneath the creatures, carving out a massive pocket of air within the sea. The icy waters surged outward, creating violent currents that dragged several of the remaining creatures into the abyss below. Chunks of shattered ice rained down like meteors, glinting in the residual glow of the explosion.

The aftermath of the battle was eerily quiet. Zero stood on the edge of the icy crater he had created, his cyan aura flickering softly like the last embers of a dying flame. His piercing gaze swept over the scene, the frigid ocean now a vast, desolate void. Not even the shattered remains of the creatures lingered—his devastating attack had obliterated them entirely. The once-teeming waters were now still, dark, and lifeless.

"Not even bodies remain," he muttered to himself, his voice low and cold. Zero's tail swayed behind him, the faint sound of it brushing against the ice the only noise in the vast silence.

As he stared into the nothingness of the ocean, his mind began to shift away from the destruction he had wrought. The thrill of victory was fleeting, replaced by the constant drive that burned within him. "Well," he thought, his expression hardening with resolve, "now that that's over, I need to focus on increasing my power."

In the quiet solitude of his thoughts, Zero considered his place in the vast timeline of events yet to unfold. "In the current timeline, King Cold shouldn't even be born yet, let alone Frieza," he mused, his gaze drifting toward the middle distance. "At present, there's not much I can do on this planet but train my body. If I do find other Frost Demons, the probability of them being friendly is low. At this stage in our history, they're likely tribal, focused only on survival in this hellish environment."

Zero's tail flicked behind him as he paced along the seafloor that had served as his home since birth. His footprints crunched against the icy ground, leaving faint trails that the sea quickly erased. He paused, looking up at the thick, Strong ice that sealed him from the surface.

"And I have to find a way to get off this planet. Joining the Galactic Patrol could be a smart move—building contacts, gaining access to the worlds necessary to strengthen myself."

But as he considered this, the stark reality of his location weighed on him. "Right now, I'm in the South Area, where Planet Plant and Planet Konats are the only known planets the Galactic Patrol has even a whisper of influence over. Their presence here is weak—practically nonexistent—so that plan is scrapped before it can even begin."

He exhaled slowly, his breath condensing in the frigid air. A new idea began to take shape in his mind, one with far-reaching implications. "Maybe I should head to Planet Plant. It's home to the Tuffles, a race known for their advanced technology. So much of what the Saiyans and Frieza's empire will use in the future originated with the Tuffles. If I can access their technology, it would give me a crucial edge."

Zero's eyes narrowed as he considered the timeline. "It's still around 900 years before the Saiyan-Tuffle War, the event that will lead to their near-total extinction. But if I act now, I might be able to change that. If I can migrate a few of them to another planet, I could create a base of operations while simultaneously saving their race from annihilation. Their intelligence and technology could accelerate my growth exponentially."

Zero wasted no time and dove headfirst into a rigorous training regimen, the crushing weight of the ocean above pressing down on him. The seabed, an alien world of jagged rock formations and bioluminescent life, served as both his battlefield and his sanctuary. With each movement, the dense water resisted him, amplifying his effort tenfold. His muscles burned, but he welcomed the pain. It was proof of his resolve.

"Because I wasn't born a Saiyan," Zero muttered, his voice muffled as he thrust a fist forward, sending a shockwave through the water. "I have to train harder, push further, and endure more... for fewer results."

Nearby, a massive underwater cliff stood as his opponent he practiced keeping his ki within his body when he struck amplifying the weight of the sea. He propelled himself forward with powerful kicks, striking the wall with a series of punches that dislodged chunks of rock, sending sediment swirling in an underwater storm. His strikes echoed faintly in the depths, but it wasn't enough. He spun around, delivering a thunderous kick that left a crack in the stone face.

"This is necessary," Zero said, his body floating weightlessly as he examined his work. "I don't know what the future holds, but I do know one thing—when it comes, I refuse to be cannon fodder. I won't let this ocean become my grave."

His days became an endless cycle of relentless effort. He swam against powerful currents, using them to build his speed and agility. Nights were spent at the ocean floor, gazing at the faint light filtering through the water far above. The surface felt like a distant dream, but he didn't allow himself to dwell on it. Dreams alone wouldn't get him off this planet—action would.

Zero's resolve was unshakable. Every bruise and every ache was a testament to his will. The ocean's pressure was relentless, its cold unyielding, but what it demanded of him, he gave. He had no Saiyan blood, no natural advantage, but what he lacked in biology, he made up for in sheer grit and determination.

"One day," he said to himself, rising from a meditative stance atop a jagged outcrop on the seabed, surrounded by glowing creatures that watched him curiously. "I'll leave this place. And when I do, I won't just survive—I'll thrive."

For the next three years, Zero devoted himself entirely to a grueling training routine, The frigid waters of the ocean became his crucible. He trained against powerful underwater currents, which mimicked the gravitational forces he would face in space travel. He hauled massive chunks of ice across the ocean floor, using sheer strength and will to move them.

[Currently in your 3rd Restriction form your power level has reached 8.9 million, Which means in your base form you should be around 60 million. Enough to break the Ice and Fly to Planet Plant]

"Sixty million in my base form," Zero muttered, the words rolling off his tongue like a mantra. "Enough to make my escape a reality."

He closed his eyes, focusing on the energy within him. He could feel it now, the difference between then and now. Three years ago, he was another no-one fated to die on this frozen planet, weak and desperate. Now, his body had become a weapon honed to perfection, his energy a furnace of power capable of defying the very environment that had once threatened to kill him.

The icy sea floor trembled as Zero began to draw his energy inward, preparing for the monumental task ahead. Oracle's voice cut through his concentration again.

[Your training has ensured you possess the strength and control necessary to execute this maneuver. However, this will require an immense surge of energy. Breaking through the ice shell will demand not only raw power but precision in your output.]

Zero smirked, his confidence unshaken. "I didn't spend the last three years training just to fail here, Oracle.

Zero opened his eyes, which now burned with unyielding determination. "It's time," he said, his voice steady. "Time to leave this planet behind and take the first step toward my destiny."

The ice around him groaned and cracked further as his energy surged to its peak, the frozen wasteland about to witness the birth of a power that could no longer be contained.